Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. xc2xa7xc2xa7 177(a)(6) and 1.96(c), microfiche appendices A and B have been placed in the Patent Office file for this invention comprising four (4) sheets of microfiche and 395 frames. Appendices A and B taken together form a computer listing of a preferred software embodiment of the invention and aid in the understanding and appreciation of this particular embodiment.
The present invention relates to communications systems generally and particularly to network communications systems.
Establishing a point-to-point connection between users who are connected via communications terminals to a communications network generally requires that the network address of each connecting user be known to all other connecting users. Many network communications service providers, such as Internet Service Providers (ISP""s), assign users a different network address, such as an IP address, each time they connect to the network, making foreknowledge of a particular user""s network address impossible.
Some commercial and non-commercial services maintain network servers connected to a network. Users who connect to the network provide their current network address and other identifying information to one or more of these network servers. This information is made available to other users connected to the network for purposes including point-to-point communications. Such services include Internet Relay Chat (IRC), for which software is commercially available from Surfing Squirrel Productions, Inc., Microsoft User Location Service (ULS), commercially available from Microsoft Corporation, and the Automatic Call Distribution System (ACD), commercially available from Executone Information Systems, Inc.
A user wishing to locate another user may connect to a network server that records user information in order to determine the other user""s network address. A user usually locates another user by looking for the other user""s electronic mail address, one or more nicknames that the other user often uses, or other identifying information. The effective use of such identifying information is limited inasmuch as a single user might have multiple electronic mail addresses, multiple users might use the same nickname, or a user might be connected via another user""s network connection.
Unfortunately, services like those mentioned above do not generally provide for the unique identification of each user, thereby facilitating accurate location a specific user. Furthermore, such services require that users actively seek out other users, often from among several hundreds or thousands of users known to a server to be connected to a network at any given time. Such services also do not enable a user to limit who may access that user""s identification information.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved communications system for facilitating locating a user who is connected to a communications network, preferably for the purposes of establishing point-to-point communications. A user""s location on a communications network is typically expressed in terms of the user""s current network address.
The communications system of the present invention preferably provides at least some and preferably all of the following advantages:
a. Users may be located accurately, because each user has
a permanent and unique identification code.
b. Users may be located quickly and efficiently, because the network server automatically provides a user who is currently connected to the network with a list of other users who are currently connected to the network from among a predefined list of users whose connection status the user wishes to know.
c. Users are notified automatically when another user, in whom the seeking user has interest, connects to the network.
d. Users may protect their privacy by limiting who may locate them.
It is noted that throughout the specification and claims the term xe2x80x9cuserxe2x80x9d encompasses any entity, preferably human, that operates a computer or other communications terminal, preferably for the purpose of connecting to and communicating via a communications network. It is further noted that the term xe2x80x9cseeking userxe2x80x9d encompasses any user who wishes to locate at least one other user currently connected to the communications network. It is further noted that the term xe2x80x9csought userxe2x80x9d encompasses any user whose location, typically a network address, is desired by a seeking user.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a communication system including a communications network, a multiplicity of communications terminals which are connectable to the communications network and which can be employed by users to communicate via the communications network, the user not necessarily being identified with a given communications terminal, apparatus for monitoring whether or not a user is connected to the communications network irrespective of which of the multiplicity of communications terminals that user is employing, and apparatus for annunciating to a seeking user, currently connected to the communications network via any of the multiplicity of communications terminals, network connection status information relating to other users who are in a set of sought users, which set is definable by the seeking user, and for providing the seeking user connection address information relating to those sought users who are currently connected to the communications network.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, any of the users may function as at least one of a seeking user and a sought user.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, any of the users may function simultaneously as a seeking user and a sought user.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the network connection status information includes an indication that a sought user is currently connected to the communications network.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the network connection status information includes an indication that a sought user has currently become connected to the communications network.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the network connection status information includes an indication that a sought user has currently become disconnected from the communications network.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the users has a unique identification code.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the unique identification code is independent of any communications terminal.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one server is connected to the communications network, and the apparatus for monitoring is resident in the at least one server.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one server is connected to the communications network, and the apparatus for annunciating is resident in the at least one server.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the communications system includes apparatus for notifying at least once that at least one of the users is currently connected to the communications network.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for notifying is resident in any of the multiplicity of communications terminals.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the users is currently connected to the communications network and has a network address, and the communications system includes apparatus for determining the network address.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one server is connected to the communications network, and the apparatus for determining is resident in the at least one server.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for determining is resident in any of the multiplicity of communications terminals.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the communication system includes apparatus for authorizing whether the at least one seeking user may access any of the information relating to the sought users.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for authorizing is resident in any of the multiplicity of communications terminals.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the communication system includes apparatus for maintaining information regarding any of the users.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for maintaining information is resident in at least one server connected to the communications network.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the users provides information to the apparatus for maintaining information.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the information includes the set of sought users.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the information comprises a request from a sought user to authorize whether a seeking user may access any of the information relating to the sought user.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for indicating network connection information relating to users, the method including monitoring whether or not a user is connected to a communications network via any of a multiplicity of communications terminals, and annunciating to a seeking user, currently connected to the communications network via any of the multiplicity of communications terminals, network connection status information relating to other users who are in a set of sought users, which set is definable by the seeking user, and for providing the seeking user connection address information relating to those sought users who are currently connected to the communications network.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the users has a unique identification code.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the unique identification code is independent of any communications terminal.